


Trust Multiplied

by Lozza



Category: Numb3rs
Genre: Dom/sub Undertones, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-11
Updated: 2013-03-11
Packaged: 2017-12-04 23:54:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/716512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lozza/pseuds/Lozza
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Janus fiasco gives Colby a kick start to finally act on his feelings for Don, he's just concerned whether his boss wants the same things he does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Came out of re-watching season 4

Part one

Don felt guilty as he looked around him. He was enjoying a nice lunch with his family, when his team was fractured and Colby, his friend, teammate, agent, and spy (?) was in hospital after almost losing his life. 

He quickly put down his glass and stared at his hands, noting that they hadn’t actually stopped shaking yet. David and he had had to carry out CPR on Colby on that ship, waiting for medics to arrive, taking it in turns to do chest compressions to make sure neither of them tired out. It had felt like forever, days and nights, but Megan informed them that it was only minutes. Don had sat back on his heels when he was pulled off, an EMT pressed a couple of fingers to Colby’s throat and nodded when he found a pulse. “You did good, Agent,” she told him, and she and her teammate got to work. 

But it didn’t feel like he had done something good, no way. He had lost someone whom it was his job to support and protect, to teach and direct, to understand and have faith in. But how well had he accomplished that? Not at all – Colby had been working under the weight of this secret for two years and the man hadn’t trusted Don enough to tell him. Then there was the fact that Don hadn’t noticed either. That was part of his job too – to take note if something was bothering his agents and do something about it. But in his defence Colby was already working for the CIA and Kirkland before he was even assigned to Don’s team, before he had even joined the FBI, so Don hadn’t had a proper baseline to go on. 

Now though, without that weight of the world on his admittedly broad and strong shoulders he might be a different person, might lighten up a little. If he a) stayed alive, and b) stayed with the FBI. And didn’t that thought make the food in front of him so much less appetising now? 

He couldn’t get passed it, the thought that Colby, a young man he had trusted with his life, with Charlie, Amita and his father’s lives, had lied to him from the very start, had been something other than himself and had probably reported on him, on all of them, to the CIA. What the hell was he supposed to do with that knowledge?  
Before he could get too introspective and disturbed Larry nudged him gently and his phone buzzed in his pocket. He didn’t know which one to go for first but Larry just smiled at him and nodded at the phone that Don had grabbed. He nodded his thanks and answered his phone. 

It was the hospital. “Agent Eppes,” Colby’s doctor greeted him. “I’m pleased to say your Agent Grainger is waking up,” she told him after introducing herself. “You said you wanted to know.”

“Yeah, thanks Doc,” he replied and frowned at his Dad across the taken from him as he folded his phone. 

“What is it?” Alan asked him quickly, unfortunately well used to that bewildered, concerned expression on his son’s face. “Don?”

“Colby’s waking up,” Don replied and watched his father – he trusted his father to be a moral compass for him. 

As he had thought Alan grinned. “That’s great,” he said eagerly. “Go, tell him we’ll come by later or tomorrow. Okay?”

Don smiled in relief. “Okay,” he agreed and stood. “Do you want me to…?” he asked and reached for his wallet, but his father shook his head. 

“No, Don, don’t be silly,” his father reassured him. “Go, call me, okay?”

He watched as his oldest child nodded and then turned on his heel and jogged away towards the street and his SUV. 

 

It didn’t take him long to get to the hospital, thoughts running through his mind, but he didn’t let them stop him from getting there, parking his car and getting to the right floor. Cardiac Critical Care unit was not somewhere he ever wanted to be, especially as a visitor for someone he cared a lot about, but here he was for that exact reason – he cared a lot about Colby, probably more than he should. So he smiled at the doctor waiting for him, listened while she rattled off some medicinal stuff, but he got the gist of it – Colby was going to be okay. He nodded his thanks and left her outside the room, to stand at the foot of Colby’s bed for a few moments before he did anything else. 

Colby was still asleep, hooked up to a heart monitor, an oxygen canula under his nose that had just been attached to replace the mask. He looked pale, and tired even in his sleep and Don walked over and sat down on the empty visitor’s chair at the head of the bed. One of Colby’s hands was on the blankets near his and he reached for it without thinking about it, entangling his fingers in Col’s strong ones to hold on. 

He had come prepared, he had found a book his Dad had probably left in the glove box in his SUV, and started to read it while he waited. 

 

**************************************************************************************************************************

 

Colby came too slowly and wished he hadn’t. Everything hurt, even his hair it seemed, the pain centring on his chest. He was uncomfortable, a bit cold, all apart from one of his hands. It took a moment or two of contemplation before he figured out someone was holding his hand, which was why it was warmer than the rest of him. He wondered who it was, not really expecting much but he forced his eyes open anyway and blinked a couple of times to clear his vision. 

He was surprised to see Don sitting next to him, standing in an uncomfortable chair, reading a book in one hand, his other one covering one of his own, their fingers intertwined. It took some more moments of concentration to get his fingers to twitch in Don’s to get his attention. “…D…” he managed to rasp, but his throat was so dry nothing came out. 

No matter though, Don felt his fingers move in his and looked down at him. He spotted the eyes open and looked up at him and smiled slightly at him. “Col,” he said to him and put his book down. “Thirsty?” he asked as he spotted his friend licking his dry, chapped lips. When he nodded Don let go of his hand and reached for a bottle on the cupboard behind him. He unsealed it, opened it and then turned back to Colby. “Doc says you’re going to be a bit weak for a while so I’m going to have to help you. Is that okay?”

When Col nodded again he slipped his arm around the other agent’s shoulders and supported him enough so he could drink some of the water he was offering. Don didn’t give him too much, he had been in Col’s position before and knew the last thing the younger man wanted to do was throw up the same water. “Better?” he asked when Colby had swallowed the sips he had helped him with, and settled him back down again on his pillows when he nodded. “How’re you feeling, otherwise?”

“…Cold…” the other agent replied and tried not to shiver. “…hurts…” 

“Hang on,” the team leader told him and quickly stood to rummage around the small room for supplies. He found some more blankets and quickly unfurled them out and over him, tucking them around him, especially his feet. “I’ll go find your Doctor about pain meds, okay?” he asked but Col shook his head. He fought the new blankets to get his hands free and reached out for his boss again. 

“Not yet,” he said, almost as a plea. “I need…”

Don took his hand again and sat back down again. “Whatever you need can wait, Col,” he tried to persuade him. “I’ve been where you are, there’s no point in fighting through the pain.”

Colby made an odd huffing noise and it took the other man a few seconds to realise he was laughing. “…you wanna be pot or kettle…?” he asked him, amused. “You’ve been a spy too?” he added, not so amused. 

Don decided not to be annoyed at his last comment despite the flash of annoyance he tried to hide. “I’ll be the kettle,” he answered him and squeezed the hand he still held. “Because of my caffeine addiction. You can be the pot. And I may not have worked for the Chinese or the CIA, but I have worked for OPR and consulted on a joint anti-terrorism group in Israel.” Then he used his free hand to tap the end of the guy’s shapely nose. “If you mention that to my Dad or my brother I’ll break your neck.”

Colby smiled at him and nodded. “I can keep a secret,” he assured him, his tone dry. 

Don studied him for a few moments before he said anything. “About that,” he commented. “Were you ever going to tell me? Could you?”

Colby sighed and shook his head. “I couldn’t,” he admitted and looked away from him. “They were…” he added but stopped. “I couldn’t.”

Don nodded, he didn’t want to force anything out of him, especially when he was exhausted and in pain. But he could… He leant forward and used his free hand to cup Colby’s pale cheek in his hand. “Do not do anything like this again,” he told him firmly, making sure Colby was looking him in the eye. “You scared the crap out of me. Don’t do it again. Do you understand me?”

Colby crumpled and held on tightly to Don’s hand, like a lifeline. “I didn’t want to,” he choked. “They didn’t… Kirkland, he….” He squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to let his traitorous tears fall. “I’m just so t… tired,” he said quietly and tried to move closer to his boss. 

Don stood and perched on the side of the bed so he could get closer to him. Colby took the comfort he offered and leant against him, pressing his face against his sweater when Don let his cheek go. The older man virtually curled around him, his arms around his shoulders, and held him tight.

“So t… tired of hiding,” Colby murmured into his chest. “Don…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” his boss assured him and laid his cheek on the top of his armful’s head. “It’s over now, you can rest.”

“You sure?” Colby asked, and Don could hear the exhaustion in his voice. 

“I’m sure, Colby,” Don answered him. “You’re an FBI agent, no-one can use you again without going through me first,” he told him firmly. “And I won’t let it happen, you understand?”

Colby groaned and Don smiled a little and hugged him as tight as he dared. “If anyone tries I’ll set Megan on them,” he told him, and heard him huff a laugh against him. “Go back to sleep, Col,” he instructed him gently. “You’re exhausted. We’ll deal with this when you’re up to it, okay?” He took Colby’s soft groan as an affirmative and held him tight for a few minutes until his breathing evened out and he relaxed in his grip.

Don gently laid the younger man back down into his pillows and tucked the blankets around him again. Colby was asleep, finally, and he looked almost peaceful. But he had a slight frown marring his forehead and Don suddenly remembered what he was going to do a few minutes earlier. He quickly got up and left the room, looking for a doctor or nurse with some pain meds. 

 

When Colby woke up a few hours later he felt a lot better, about twenty pounds lighter, virtually pain-free and not so exhausted. He didn’t feel alone either, and when he looked around him he realised why that was. 

Don was still there, asleep, slumped in the visitor’s chair with his feet, shoes off, crossed at the ankles on the mattress near Colby’s knees. Someone had draped a blanket over him, and it looked like he had charmed a larger, more comfortable chair from somewhere, rather than that horrible plastic one. This one at least reclined and the back was high enough to support his neck and let him rest his head on a pillow. 

His presence reassured the younger agent that his hell was finally over and he sighed in relief. He could relax now and maybe live a little. He wondered whether Don wanted to live a little with him. He did know it wasn’t going to be easy, he had a lot of bridges to rebuild, a lot of things to explain, people to apologise to, but he hoped that Don being here meant he didn’t have too much work to do with him. He had wanted his boss since he had set eyes on him but his work for Kirkland and the CIA had stopped him from making his move. Now, with that gone, he may stand a chance, and with Don still holding onto his hand, he may have more of a chance that he thought. 

He would have to wait and see, at the moment he was in no fit state to start anything with anyone, feeling as weak as a kitten with no claws, he could hardly lift up his head, and he was pleased someone had raised the head of his bed so he was reclining and could see what was going on around him. He took advantage of his perspective and watched Don until he was tired enough to go back to sleep again.


	2. Part two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colby makes his move

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ran away with me a bit! Also, David's attitude annoyed me a bit, he had been employed by Merrick to do exactly what Col was doing way back in season 1, but seemed to forget that one.....

The case was difficult from the start, just one of the many Don had on his plate. It didn’t help either that, after the Janus fiasco, his two greatest assets – David and Colby – were at loggerheads, his relationship with Liz was causing them both, and the team, problems, and Megan was distant with her own problems. 

It was one of the many cases that landed on Don’s desk, someone had been found dead in a cannabis factory, and it would have been a simple case the LAPD should have been on, apart from the man being on the run for three murders in other cannabis factories in two more states. 

Don was doing most of the groundwork himself, as he tended to do, before getting the team to do work for him, they were working on another case for him, so after he had sent the others home he sat back at his desk and started to collate information. 

He was good at that; he could pull together information from a lot of disparate sources to find links and commonalities others may miss, and he didn’t need algorithms or fancy computer programs to do it. He just needed space, time and a pen and some paper and he was set. So he spread out around their cubicle and got down to it, ignoring everything and everyone around him and got down to it. 

 

*******************************************************************************************************************************

 

Colby hated it – he hated this situation he found himself in. He had agreed to work with the CIA against Dwayne after some duress but had never thought it would end like this. Dwayne was dead, killed by a guy he worked for because he was trying to protect Colby in some belated and futile change of heart. Colby hadn’t really thought his team at the FBI, his friends, would welcome him back with opened arms, but he was surprised and hurt at the open hostility he was getting from David, a man he classed as his best friend. The guy couldn’t even look him in the face, he hadn’t come to see him in hospital even though Don, who had spent a lot of time with him, had told him what had happened on the ship – that David had performed CPR on him, only letting Don do something when he had run out of strength. So why he was doing this now was a mystery. 

It had hurt at the time when Don had shouted at the pair of them in frustration, but after Colby had thought about it he understood his boss’ problems. Don was so busy with other cases and supervisory stuff he couldn’t deal with two of his small team as virtual enemies either. 

But Colby needed to know, before he made any decision what was in Don’s mind if they couldn’t reconcile, because at the moment he couldn’t see how he and David could get back to their previous state of grace. If his boss and friend couldn’t get past this, wanted him to be reassigned even when he had allowed Colby to make the decision, then he could see no point in working with David and their relationship, at all. 

So he waited for the team to leave, watching from the car park as the rest of them left, and sat in his car for a while, waiting for Don and trying to work out what he was going to say to him. 

His quarry didn’t show though, and, after the car park had virtually emptied apart from himself and Don’s SUV, he decided he couldn’t do much by hiding out in his car. So he got out and walked back into the building and went to find his elusive boss. 

 

Don was busy it seemed, using all available surfaces for his paperwork, sitting in his seat with his feet up, pressed to the edge of Megan’s desk (she’d hate it if she knew), his knees bent at an angle so he could rest his notepad on them and quickly wrote some notes on it. Even as Colby walked over Don pushed back with his feet and let the wheels on the chair take him backwards and he used the hand he wasn’t holding his pen to reach back for another file he had placed out on his own desk. He grabbed it, poured over it and grinned when he had obviously found what he wanted in it, and then manoeuvred himself to the same position he had been – feet on the edge of the desk, Colby’s this time, knees bent, notepad on his thighs so he could write some more. 

He looked like his brother did when Charlie got hit by inspiration for his numbers, and Colby watched with a smile as Don wrote quickly, rummaged through the folder for something else, and then looked around him for another of the piles of paper he had surrounded himself with. 

Colby left him to it for a few minutes while he went to the break room and put on a fresh pot of coffee while he watched him work. Don and Charlie were more alike than either of them thought or wanted, the agent decided, smiling to himself as he readied their cups. He wondered what Don’s reaction would be if he mentioned it, but he wasn’t stupid enough to do that, not now anyway. 

Don at least, noticed his approach with two coffee buckets and he smiled up at him when he was handed one. “What are you doing here, Colby?” he asked him and watched him sit down on the only other chair that didn’t have more paperwork on it. “I thought everyone had gone.”

Colby shook his head and sipped his coffee before he replied. “I need to talk to you,” he answered him. “But I didn’t know you were this busy. Can you tell me what this is?” he asked and waved his free hand over their space. 

“New case,” Don told him as he also looked around. “I’m just doing some prelim work. There’s a lot in these files already, I may just need to get some intelligence gathered rather than go full out on it,” he explained. 

Colby nodded and looked around some more before he turned back to Don. 

There must have been something on his face because his boss frowned at him. “What’s wrong, Col?” he asked him firmly. “Tell me, you look like someone’s kicked your puppy and you’ve killed them for it.”

That at least made Colby smile and he shook his head. “No, not today,” he replied and then lost his smile again. “It’s about David and the rest of the team. I don’t know whether I can, or I should keep working here.”

Don’s frown deepened and he put down his pen. “If it’s about my outburst earlier it wasn’t directed at just you. David’s been pissing me off too,” he said quickly.  
“No,” Col answered him. “You were right to, we deserved it,” he assured him. “I just don’t know what else to do,” he admitted after a pause. “I know I fucked up, I know I should have said something, but my comptroller at the CIA warned me if I did.” He shook his head and clenched his free fist, staring at the floor by his feet. He looked up when Don laid a hand on his knee.

“Did they threaten you with us?” he asked him grimly. “With me?”

“Not as such, no,” Col replied. “Not in so many words. But they made it plain that whomever I told wouldn’t be alive to do anything about it. I couldn’t let that happen to you.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t…”

Don shook his head and put his notepad, coffee cup and pen down and planted his feet on the floor. “Colby,” he said firmly and laid his other hand on his clenched fist. “Don’t ever do that again,” he ordered him firmly. “I have been threatened with more than that by worse than the CIA. They don’t scare me.”

“But…” Colby tried to argue but Don shook his head and squeezed his hand to stop him. 

“No,” Don cut his off. “I am not worth that,” he told him, his tone hard. “I won’t let anyone threaten my team, my friends, with my life to get them to do something. Especially you. Do you understand that?”

Colby shook his head; he could be as stubborn as Don. “No, I don’t,” he retorted. “I don’t understand it. You are worth it, and I’ll do what I have to do to keep you alive.”

Don sighed, shook his head and let him go so he could stand and pace the small area. “I would call you a fool if I thought you were one, and if it would change your mind,” he told him and paced for a few more moments before he turned to face him again. “So I’m going to ask you what would you do if the situation were reversed. What would you do?” he asked. “If I were you, had been threatened to… I don’t know,” he shrugged. “Hand over everything we’ve got on Ivan Tabakian to his lieutenant, evidence and all or you’d get killed. What would you do?” he demanded, and stood in front of him, watching him closely.

Colby looked everywhere but his boss while he thought about it, a deep frown etched into his forehead. He was silent for long enough to make Don speak again.  
“Would you want me to do it?” he asked him, and folded his arms across his chest. “Knowing how many people Tabakian killed? How much work it took to get him? Would you want me to do that? And in silence too?”

Colby shook his head, and looked as if he was in pain. “No, of course not,” he replied finally. “But it’s not the same.”

Don shook his head stubbornly. “It is the same,” he countered. “So, knowing how I feel about it, what are you going to do if something like this happens again?” he demanded and waited him out again. “Well?”

Colby huffed out a breath and looked up at him. “Tell you,” he said finally and stood up as well to look him in the eye. “And then either stick to you like glue or stash you in a safe house until I’d dealt with it.”

They stared at each other for a few moments, both as stubborn as each other, until Don relaxed and smiled at him. “Glue,” he replied. “I’d like to see you try stashing me in a safe house,” he retorted fondly and then walked back to his own desk.

Colby smiled as well. “I’ve got handcuffs and I know how to use them,” he replied and watched while Don rummaged in his desk drawer. “What are you looking for?” he asked curiously.

“This,” Don answered as he pulled out a small photo album from the back. “Sit down,” he instructed as he stepped back to his own chair. “I want to show you something.” He flipped through the album, something he would have gotten free from the print shop, and stopped on one. “Here,” he said, and handed it to Colby who had sat next to him.

Colby took it and looked down at the picture he’d been given and he smiled at it. “Is that David?” he asked him, astounded. 

Don nodded. It was a photo a friendly crime scene tech had taken on one of the first cases David had been working with them on. It was the three of them: Don himself was leaning against a wall with a woman standing close to him and David standing a couple of metres away. All three of them were gloved up; there were cops and crime scene techs around them. Don looked a bit grim but the other two were smiling. 

“That was one of our first cases together,” Don explained. “David hadn’t been with us long.”

Colby studied the photo and smiled. “He looks so young,” he commented, awed.

Don nodded with a smile. “He was,” he agreed. “I wasn’t happy with Merrick dumping him on me and Terry,” he explained. “Merrick wasn’t my greatest fan, I think he was worried about his job.”

Colby nodded. “Hadn’t you just moved from SAC of Albuquerque?” he asked him. “He didn’t know what you were like,” he added with Don nodded. “He probably thought you were going to challenge him for his job all the time.”

Don shrugged. “I just wanted to do a good job,” he replied. “If I needed help, I could, and still do, borrow people from other teams as long as I help them out as and when,” he explained. “I didn’t think I needed anyone else. Especially someone who was reporting my every move, every word and decision back to some guy who had fought against my transfer to LA.”

Colby frowned as he studied the photo and he looked up at Don. “He was reporting to Merrick?” he asked him, his mind running on double time. When Don nodded he looked down at the photo again. “He’s complaining about me having to report things.”

Don nodded again and watched him while Colby studied the photo again. “How much did you have to report about us?” he asked curiously. He wanted to know how much the CIA actually knew about him, but he also really didn’t.

“As little as possible,” Colby answered him and looked up earnestly. “They wanted everything, but I refused. You weren’t the target so they didn’t need to know.”

Don nodded and smiled a little in relief. “Thanks,” he said to him and laid a hand on his nearest arm. “David was reporting everything to Merrick,” he told him. “I think at one point, the SAC got to know how many times I went to the bathroom or got a coffee,” he said wryly. 

Colby shook his head. “I didn’t do that,” he assured him. “I just gave them the bare bones of a few cases.”

Don nodded but before he could say anything else Colby smiled cheekily at him. “Although I may have mentioned you have a caffeine addiction,” he joked. 

Don noted the grin. “Oh really?” he asked archly. “And what did Kirkland say to that?”

“He sympathised with you,” Col replied with some regret. “I think you would have liked him.” His grin turned to a soft smile. 

Don nodded and smiled too, squeezing his arm “If he would have helped me hide what’s left of you if you ever switch my supply to decaff, then yes. I think we would have been good friends.”

It took a few moments for Colby to realise he was joking, mostly. “He would have,” he agreed, amused. “Definitely.”

They smiled at each other for a few more moments before Colby turned back to the album. “What else have you got in here?” he asked him and flicked through the photos. “Anything I can use as ammunition?”

 

Work was forgotten for a while as they went through the album and Don explained some of the pictures. They laughed at a couple of tall tales from Don’s FR days, especially when he explained the photo of him and Coop drenched and covered from chest to feet in mud. Whoever had taken that one had got it just as Billy Cooper, grinning widely, smashed a handful of mud and leaves into Don’s hair, and the man himself had his eyes squeezed shut, trying to push his partner away from him. 

Colby didn’t think he’d ever seen his boss blush before, even more so when he admitted he’d had a relationship with both Coop and Terry, the woman in the photo with David. 

“You are such a dog,” the ex-marine commented with a grin. “Do you sleep with all your teammates?”

Don’s blush deepened. “I haven’t slept with you or David yet,” he retorted and nudged him none-too-gently with his elbow. 

Colby grinned. “I’m a possessive bastard,” he replied. “When you decide on me, I won’t ever let you go.”

Don studied him with judging eyes. “Sure of yourself,” he commented. 

Colby nodded. “I’ve never had any complaints,” he assured him matter of factly. “When you’ve figured out what you want, come to me,” he told him. “Once you’ve had me…”

Don laughed at him and his impish comment. “I won’t ever go back?” he retorted. 

Colby grinned and nodded. “That’s right,” he replied. “Let me show you, okay? Just a taster.”

Don frowned but he didn’t shake his head. Colby had put his trust in him when he was on the run and alone; the least he could do was trust him in return. He nodded and Col grinned again and put down the album he was still holding in favour of one of cupping one of Don’s cheeks in his hand. He used his thumb to caress the soft skin under Don’s jaw and leant forward so they were almost touching foreheads. “Let me in,” he murmured, and when Don nodded again he smiled and closed the final distance to press their lips together. It was chaste at first; but when Col brushed his tongue over Don’s surprisingly soft lips the team leader opened up and let him in as promised. As their kiss deepened, tongues tasted, explored and jousted, Don pressed a hand to Colby’s chest, just over his heart, and moved the other to cup the nape of Colby’s neck to hold on. When they had to break off for air Colby gently bit Don’s lip and then moved down, trailing more kisses and little nips down his throat, tracing his jugular. Don groaned and moved his head back, giving him full access, and Colby smiled against his throat and used his free hand to slip under his sweater and caress the soft skin of his abdomen. “Like this?” he murmured against Don’s skin, and slipped his hand down to his belt. “Hmm?” he added and kissed a bite he had made, gently sucking on the same spot. Don shuddered and moaned softly when Colby slipped a couple of fingers below his belt, in between the fabric of his briefs and his warm skin.

“Yes,” Don said quietly, his fingers squeezing around Colby’s neck, trying to push him back against his neck. 

Colby laughed and pulled away from him, much to Don’s chagrin. “I don’t share, Babe,” he told him and gently kissed the corner of his mouth. “If you want me, you need to make a decision.” He looked into his eyes and caressed his flushed face with the hand he still had cupping Don’s cheek. “I can do a hell of a lot more for you than Liz, David or anyone else,” he assured him. “I can make you so hard you forget everything, even your own name,” he murmured, his voice rough with want. “I can keep you that hard for hours, cock ring around you, vibrator deep in you.” He smiled, kissed him again, and moved his free hand down to surround Don’s half hard cock. He couldn’t do a lot, Don always liked to wear his jeans tight, but he could squeeze his thick cock in his hand and talk to him. “Would you like that?” he asked him and squeezed, moving his hand the little he was able. 

Don whimpered and nodded. 

“I can suck your hot, hard cock until you’re crazy with it, and when I let you come it’ll feel so, so good. Do you want that?”

“Yes,” Don replied, his voice hitched with his want. “Col…”

The man in question grinned. “Help me out then,” he instructed. “Open your belt and zipper. I need a better grip.”

Don let go if him and fumbled with his belt, while Colby reached back with his other hand to the tube of moisturiser Megan kept on her desk. It was just within reach and he waited for Don to do as instructed before he handed it over. “Squeeze some on your hand,” he told him and noted the interested twitch Don’s cock made. He obviously liked being told what to do, not surprising really, he had to be in control all day and sometimes all night too. Colby could deal with that thought; Kirkland had been a lot more than his handler after all. 

Don squeezed some of the cream on to his hand and made an odd noise when Colby let go of his cock. “Don’t worry, Babe,” the ex marine assured him “We’re not done, I’m not leaving you like this. Wrap your hand around your cock, just the way you like it.” When Don did he pressed a kiss to the cupid’s bow of his top lip and covered his hand with his own, tightening his grip just a little. Then he started to move, making Don pump his own cock but at Colby’s pace and pressure. “That’s right, Babe,” he encouraged, and pumped a little harder, a little faster. “That’s right, Don, let it go.”

It didn’t take long; Don would have been embarrassed at how fast he came if he wasn’t so surprised. It took a couple of minutes of Colby using his hand to arouse him, his teammate used his bigger thumb to dig into Don’s slit and collect some pre-cum, rubbing over the head of his cock. Colby watched him carefully, smiled and gently sucked on his exposed collarbone again, and listened to the way he breathed quickly, his breathing hitched as he got harder, and he pulled back when Don whimpered. “I’m gonna…” Don stuttered and Colby pressed a kiss to his lips. 

“It’s okay,” he assured him. “It’s okay to come for me.”

So he did, Colby twisted his wrist in just the right way and he came with a groan and a shudder. Col pumped him dry and supported him when Don relaxed and slumped forward, forehead pressed against Colby’s shoulder. 

“Shit,” the agent in charge murmured after a few moments and he breathed a few times before he straightened up and blinked at him. “That was… Do you want me to…?” he added when he noticed the bulge in Colby’s pants. 

The man shook his head with a soft smile. “Not today,” he replied. “After you…” He shrugged. “You need to choose, Don,” he told him and emphasized it by bringing his hand to his mouth and licking off his boss’ come. “Let me know, yeah?”

Don nodded and Colby pressed a kiss to his mouth and stood. “I’ll wait for you, but not too long.”

“Col…” Don began, but stopped when he realised he had nothing more to say than: “I will let you know, I promise.” He meant it to as he watched the other man saunter away, hands in his pockets, smile on his face.


	3. Part three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don makes up his mind

It didn’t take long in the grand scheme of things for Don to make a decision, in fact he’d probably already made it the evening at the office. He spent a night thinking about it, watching Liz sleep while he did. She had spotted the mark Colby had sucked into his neck virtually immediately, demanded to know what happened, where he had been to get a hickey, and more importantly, who had given it to him. He had come up with some excuse, that it wasn’t a hickey; that he and Colby had been reconnecting at a batting range but she wasn’t stupid, she knew something had been up for a while. Which was why she didn’t argue too much when he gave her his reasons for breaking up. He missed out his increasing feelings for Colby, she wouldn’t understand, would probably make their lives hell, and really, he didn’t understand it either. 

Colby didn’t treat him any differently at work, Don just seemed to be hyperaware of him now; every time he laid his hand on Don’s back to push him out of the way, to direct him to their target, or even when they were just talking, Don’s skin tingled and he relaxed a little, feeling … protected. It had been a long time since he had felt protected. 

Something had changed about him, even Doctor Bradford noticed, and Don found himself explaining a few things and getting some clarification in response. 

“You’ve been looking after yourself for most of your life,” the Doc told him. “Your parents spent most of their time with your brother, yes?”

Don couldn’t deny it, he had, getting home from school when he was eight and making his own snack, doing homework in the dining room while his Mom and Dad were either working or dealing with Charlie, getting himself up in the mornings. And then there was school and college, protecting his friends and Charlie from bullies, which didn’t change when he joined the Stockton Rangers. He remembered having to stop one of the big guys pounding on a groupie, making sure she was okay after he’d broken the guy’s jaw, having to explain himself to the bosses and PD and being vindicated. It was one of the many reasons why he had joined the FBI. The only person apart from Colby who had turned the tables on him and looked after him was Coop.

Billy Cooper, tall, ginger, loud when he had to be, silent when he wanted, and he arrived in Don’s life just when he needed him. But Coop didn’t want to settle down, he didn’t want Don waiting for him here, and Don knew himself well enough to know he wanted and needed stability. Colby, a man Don already cared a lot … a huge amount about was offering him a lot more than occasional sex. 

Which was why he found himself standing at Colby’s front door on a Saturday afternoon about a month after they had … come together at the office. He took a breath and knocked on the door, and hoped the guy was in after all of this. 

He was. Colby answered his door only after a few moments and smiled at his boss. “Afternoon,” he greeted him. “Are you all right? Have you made a decision?” he asked as he leant against the doorframe. 

Don nodded and studied him as he did so. Col at work was always immaculately dressed, in suits, shirts and ties, but now he was just in ratty jeans and a white t-shirt, and he looked good. “I am, and I have,” he answered him.

Colby’s smile widened. “Am I going to like it?”

Don smiled at him and nodded. “If you still want me,” he replied. 

Colby grinned and stepped back, letting him in the apartment as he did so. Don took the invitation and stepped in, shutting the door behind him firmly as he did so. “I’m ready, he assured the other guy. “I’m not really sure what I’m letting myself in for, but…” He laid a hand on Colby’s chest. “Whatever you want.”

Colby stepped forward and surrounded him with his arms, pulling him close in his small lobby. “Do you trust me?” he asked him, knowing the answer. If Don didn’t he wouldn’t be here.

Don nodded and rested his free hand on Col’s waist, the other still over his heart. “Yes, I trust you,” he replied. 

The bigger guy pressed forward and laid a chaste kiss to his lips. “Good,” he replied. “Because this is all about you, Babe. We’ll take it slow, and only go where you want to go. Okay?”

Don nodded. “You want to control everything,” he said and smiled at Col’s frown. “I’ve been doing a little research,” he admitted. “I don’t know if I’m ready for a flogging just yet though.”

Colby’s dick twitched, he had thought about that, how the muscles of Don’s perfect ass would tremble as Col dragged his flogger over it. He grinned and pressed himself against his smaller companion, showing him just what he was going to him. “I’m in this for the long haul,” he told him and moved in to lick at a little spot under Don’s ear. “We can work up to that,” he murmured into that ear and then gently bit down on the lobe, making Don groan and shiver against him. “I was also thinking more of cock rings to stop you from coming, a thick vibrator in your ass so I can concentrate on tit clamps. And maybe letting you suck me off at the same time.”

“Fuck,” Don groaned, pressed his hips against Colby and rubbed his hard cock against him. 

Colby laughed and slipped a hand under Don’s sweater to caress his skin. “If you want,” he suggested and sought out his mouth for a deep, dirty kiss – all tongues – before he pulled away again. “Do you want?” he asked and used his other hand to slip into Don’s back pocket and squeeze his ass. 

Don nodded and used his own hands to caress and explore. “Yes,” he murmured into Colby’s neck. “I want…”

Getting to the bedroom wasn’t difficult and it didn’t take too long, Colby pressed his hand to the small of Don’s back and steered him along to his bedroom along the corridor. The room was like any other, large bed, some more furniture, and Colby laughed again as he saw Don look around curiously. “You were expecting a dungeon?” he asked him, amused. 

Don smiled and flushed endearingly at being caught. “A little,” he admitted. 

Colby shook his head and put his hands on Don’s belt, quickly unfastening it. “Not today. Maybe tomorrow. Today is about sex. Can you get with that?”

Don could get with that, definitely, and he batted Colby’s hands away so he could strip quickly, showing him exactly how down with that he was. 

Colby stood back and watched him work, and found himself face to face with a naked Don Eppes, already half hard, smiling at him. He looked him up and down with a leer and ran his hands up and down Don’s flanks, marvelling at his soft skin. He never thought he would have this and he pulled Don close and celebrated by covering his mouth with his to kiss. Now he had him in his arms, he was never, ever, never going to let him go.


	4. Part four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colby makes his claim when one of Don's exes turns up.

Colby was not happy when AUSA Robin Brooks returned to LA, and in such style. She played the damsel in distressed so well, he thought as he watched her virtually drape herself over his Don, and found himself growling quietly into his coffee mug. Megan, clever, clever Megan looked up at the noise and spotted what, or rather who he was glaring at and frowned, but then smiled slightly. “You need to make your claim known, Col,” she told him quietly. “And quickly too.” 

He looked over at her and nodded. “I’ll ask you how you figured it out soon enough,” he told her grimly, and lightened up when she smiled at him. He then stood and quickly walked over to the pair standing over by one of the interrogation rooms. “Don,” he said to him when he got close. “Can I have a word?” 

His lover looked over at him and nodded, and he looked relieved when he did so. “Sure,” he agreed easily, and flashed Robin a smile before he walked away from her, leaving her alone. “Col?” he asked as he followed him. “What…?”

“Just…” Col said quickly. “I need to do something, okay?” he asked and turned to face him. “Can we get out of here for a few moments, to the car?”

Don frowned and nodded. “Sure,” he agreed. “Are you okay? Col?”

Col nodded and glanced over his shoulder at the woman watching them, her arms folded across her chest, giving him her classy version of stink eye. “I know the rules about work,” he said to Don quietly and stood close to him so he could hear him. “But I’m not going to watch while your ex tries it on again with you, here.”

Don glanced back over his shoulder at Robin and nodded. “I don’t like it either,” he assured him. “What’s in the car?”

Col smiled, relieved. “Come on,” he told him, and lead him quickly away, his hand on Don’s back, flanking him as he normally did. No one looked twice at them, the pair had been walking like this for four years now, even David who walked past them going back into the office just lifted a hand in their direction and carried on to his destination. The car, Don’s SUV, was parked in its usual spot and they both climbed in, Don waiting for him patiently as he pulled a small bag out of the glove compartment. He opened it and pulled out a leather wrist cuff, about a couple of inches wide, with a buckle to fasten it. He handed it over to Don who took it with a smile and studied it closely. The leather was dark brown, butter soft, and he rubbed his fingers over it and smiled a little wider as he looked up at Col. “It’s nice,” he told him. 

Colby nodded. “It is,” he agreed and paused for a moment as he studied him. “I love you, Don,” he told him firmly. “I know we’ve just started, but I want this, and I want it for a long time.”

Don leant close to him and laid his hand on Colby’s chest, over his heart, his favourite place to rest it. “I love you,” he assured him. “And I want this so much, you have no idea.” He smiled and looked down at the cuff in his other hand. “Do you want me to wear this?” he asked him, and he smiled, his eyes warm and bright with it when Col nodded. 

“Would you?” the other man asked him. “You don’t have to, I just…”

Don moved across and breached the gap to kiss him. “Of course I will,” he agreed, and pulled back so he could pull up his right sleeve. Col grinned and took the cuff from him and put it on his wrist, making sure it wasn’t too tight for him. “How’s that?” he asked him, and looked up at him to make sure it was okay. They had been going slow, the sex; mostly vanilla but sometimes with a little more D and S, and he had been saving the cuff for a little further down the line, but Robin Brooks turning up as their next case had pushed up his plans. He had been concerned that Don wouldn’t want to wear this, but he was wrong on that one obviously; his lover was studying his new accessory with a soft smile.

“Thank you, Colby,” he said to him and looked up at him, using his other hand to rub over the leather on his wrist. ‘For this, for everything.”

Col grinned at him. “My pleasure,” he assured him, and pulled him forward for a kiss Don was very willing to participate in. 

 

Megan was talking to Robin when the boys returned, and she smiled to herself at the slightly ruffled look they were both sporting. Don looked flustered, but in a good way, and he was fingering a new leather cuff on his right wrist. She walked over to Col when he got to the cubicle too and grinned at him. “At least he won’t be looking at his watch all the time,” she commented dryly. “You just make sure you know what you’re doing, Grainger,” she cautioned when he looked at her. “He’s not known for commitment.”

Colby watched as Don went over to speak to Robin again, and he grinned at Megan. “I know a little bit of what he needs, what he wants.” He shrugged. “We’ll work it out,” he told her. “And if he thinks about stepping out on me, I’ll just cuff him to the bed until he gets over it.”

Megan snorted with laughter and nudged him with her sharp elbow. “I’d like to see that,” she told him. “That would be worth the crap he’d give us both to see it. Wanna sell tickets?”

Colby didn’t reply, just watched as Don kept his left hand on his right wrist, holding onto the cuff as he spoke to Brooks some more. He felt reassured, especially as his lover kept looked over at him with a smile every so often – Don was his and he could cope with anything because of it. 

 

End


End file.
